前回は一向にすっきりしない日本のコロナ対策、医師会が悪いのか？という話で盛り上がりました。私達は誰もまさかこんなことになるとは思っていなかったわけで、急激すぎる変化に社会システムが追いつかず、「犯人探し」をさせられているのかもしれません。

さて、犯人探しと言えば、なんと32歳の若さでFTC、アメリカ連邦取引委員会（日本でいう公正取引委員会ですね）の委員長に就任したリナ・カーンが、今や世界経済を席巻しているGAFA（Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple）とそれにMicrosoftを加えたGAFAM、またはビッグテックと言われている巨大IT企業を激しく非難し、それら企業から「頼むから勘弁してよ～」と泣きを入れられていたりします。

FTCの前には暴れ馬を取り押さえる人の像があるんですよ。

「消費者からすればアマゾン安いし、グーグル便利だからええやん」ですむ話なのか？それともビッグテックという悍馬を今政治の力で取り押さえないと大変なことになるのか、迷走する資本主義の中で、もしかしたら私達は大きな曲がり角に立っているのかもしれません。

Topic 1. Mysteries

When I was an elementary school student, I liked reading books about mysteries relating to the ancient world. One of my favorites was Osamu Tezuka's "A Three-eyed Boy Coming". Even now I am reading books and watching TV programs about such mysteries.

Q1. Are you interested in mysteries? Historical ones such as the assassination of Ryoma Sakamoto and Yamatai-koku, a legendary queendom. Supernatural ones such as ghosts and yetis.

Q2. Have you ever been to mysterious spots such as haunted houses and tunnels, and areas where you can enjoy the mysterious experiences?

Q3. Do you have any mysterious experience?

Q4. Watching TV programs about sightseeing, some places are often recommended to visit as "Power Spots", places where we feel spiritual powers. Please recommend the places for us if you know.

Topic 2. GAFA, Tech Giants

On the platforms provided by Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon(GAFA), many companies and people buy and sell goods and exchange information. We can not imagine our lives without GAFA. Especially young people.
Except for Apple, each of GAFA's history is not long, shorter than 30 years. Defeating and acquiring their competitors, GAFA has become dominant in the digital world in such a short period.
Today we will discuss "The World According to GAFA". But, each of GAFA is unique and involves a wide variety of businesses and this may lead to spending too much time to talk about GAFA, so I want to focus on two companies, Google and Amazon, not four.

Q1. How have Google and Amazon changed or contributed to your lives including your habits and lifestyles?

Q2. How have Google and Amazon influenced your society and community?

Q3. Do you have any experience feeling uneasy while using the services of Google and Amazon? If so, could you share your experience?

Q4. Now governments consider establishing new rules to regulate Google and Amazon as well as applying the present anti-trust rules to them. Please share your concerns about the dominance of Google and Amazon and the regulations by governments, and explain your opinions about countermeasures to mitigate your concerns?

Discussion material:

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200629/p2a/00m/0bu/009000c
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-57501579
https://japantoday.com/category/tech/us-regulators-wary-of-big-tech-swallowing-startups